Book II: The Awakening In The Spring
by The Imaginative Light
Summary: Second Book of the Heaven's Light Series. Several months of recovery after the tedious battle to balance the kingdom, the changed hunchback who was always looked up to as a legend discovers secrets of the past. As a newly hired Minister of Justice enters the scene, the foster son of the late Claude Frollo finds out that there was more to his guardian than he was led to believe.


**From here, I continue the story of Heaven's Light. The first submission to this has been replaced with this one Prologue to the second installment. There will be three total for this plot and I am very happy to keep working on this. I hope you all will enjoy this. **

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><p>The morning sun, with her sharpened warmth, found her way into the cavernous tower, illuminating the dusty, motionless instruments. The greatest of all, Big Marie caught the ray at her golden side and shot the light downward, deeper into the tower. Once the streak of sunlight shot down to the wood shafts, it caught onto a sneaking rat that instantly scuttled back into the darkness, crossing where a saddened soul rested.<p>

She just lied there. Still with her eyes as soulless as a statue's before she heard the wood stair creek. In startle, she slowly looked over her shoulder and listened. There was no one.

Nothing.

The poor woman had propped herself up and gradually felt around for her guide. Fortunately, she found it as she got the strength to stand up.

It took quite a trial up those great steps, but she did it slow and safely. As she explored the bell shafts, Agatha turned her head and listened for she beheld the feeling that she was not alone. Shaking it off, she patted her hand upon the second wood step of the stair that led up to the roof of the tower. Neglecting her guide, she mustered her courage to brave the climb up.

A strong wind greeted her once she came to the top. With it, she could smell the fresh water of the Seine as she emerged from the arch. Without her guide stick to help her, she groped for the parapet and ran her hands along as she walked, unsteadily. The air was cold, due to it being dawn, but she didn't care at all. Taking in a swift breath of air, Agatha remained still, facing the sun. She felt its warmth and she despised the cursed fact that she wasn't able to see all this splendor for herself. She despised it when she was alone… She awaited for him through the night, but he never returned the eve before.

She was able to hear, above all else…now that she had scaled the grand cathedral. Which was something she was never able to do before. She was glad the Parisian guard had granted him and the children leniency…even to her since she used her father's name. They would deliver crop to Paris every so often when the farm was still lively.

It had been a truly rough few months, being among the grief and the persecution against the gypsies, due to all this unease for six years. All things seemed to have been stopped, even the city seemed frozen. The heir was found and she was returned to her roots…no longer a myth or a story… Indeed though, she did miss the girl. But he was hurt more than anyone.

It was almost to the point that even hearing her name would break his heart all over again. His love was so strong, even now. She hoped he was all right and she trusted his word that he would come home to her.

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><p>Paris slept soundly, as if for the first time during this one decade. It seemed so very strange to hear just nothing of the city, even the occasional bickering of the food vendors were never heard. Soldiers worked quite hard to be sure of the welfare of all during this aftermath… So many had fled during the raid. There were so many reparations needed for so many homes…and finances were struggling now. Many people were in need of shelter still. Our Lady, always a blessing, would shelter the great many…as needed until a roof was provided for them and food. Being alone, well… not entirely. He had Agatha by him now… but down below in the streets, he was helping some of the families by helping them find and set up in their homes… or the ones not so destroyed as some were. All this devastation made him so upset. The hunchback among his fellow man, showed his strength by uplifting a few beams that had fallen along the few narrow roads …<p>

Phoebus Chateaupers, who had been released, and was now an outcast as them all, had decided the join Esmeralda and her brother Clopin, who were mercilessly denied entry back into the city. The orphans were provided for within the sanctity of Notre Dame…. A home for them was not given and there was no say that there was going to be one. That was one dilemma that may never had a solution to.

One child had gone on her own, feeling just as worried as the blind woman…who had never made her appearance. She was the one brave one who had mainly laid her life down for a dear friend…who never spoke much. Now it was as if she had never existed, she was whisked away so quickly. She had not known her long…but she did not deserve more scares that she was tortured with. Also, since she chose to be a part of it…she held a trust and a respect for the man who protected princess and her.

His name was of the strangest sort; Quasimodo.

He held the strangest form… a back so twisted, it made all cringe. But she never believed him ugly and no greater.

But no, he was nothing like that. She trusted him… and she knew he was doing his best for all of them. In his eyes and voice, he held all sincerity at its strongest. With calm and warmth.

As of this moment, as she explored, Judeth's dear friend and her fellow orphans were deep asleep still as the dawn had come forth within one of the cloisters, where it was just and warm for them.

Judeth dared not to sleep. Not anymore, seeing as their guardians were missing. Slow, on her bare feet, the cold tile sent chills through her as she trailed her hand along one of the mighty columns. She looked around it only to find the splendor before her. The beauty of the nave mesmerized her. But with this beauty…a voice began call to her.

Singing.

She knew that voice. A deep sadness ruled it. It hummed and even how soft it was, she could hear it as clearly as one of those great bells.

She decided to go and find it. She had to find him.

Unknown to them, something was coming. It had been a few weeks since they returned home. A trail of white horses were nearing the healing capital, a great many of men sent to mend.

The singing kept going and she explored as deep as she could…finding herself quite lost in a place so grand. The windows provided light, the sun rising slowly… Among the arches and the pews… the confessions and the cloisters, she managed to find yet another stair. It led the girl upward, toward the voice…she was trusting it.

Someone had spotted her and his shadow seemed to pose a threat. Someone of strength, of animal-like brutality. The shadow's back arched…but then a man stepped out of the room, his face littered with such concern to find her all alone and not warm and safe during such a cold morning. His aquamarine eyes seemed moist and his brow was knit down.

"Judeth…" said that voice that guided her and she turned around, nearly hiding behind a door.

Oh, she was so glad that it was him. She ran to him.

"I knew it was you, sir!"

He knelt down on one knee as he greeted her. Quasimodo nearly gasped when he felt just how cold her hands were.

"Oh~oh, child! Your hands…" he fretted as he held her small ones in both of his mighty ones. "…what are you… Why are you up here?" he asked, his voice nothing but worry.

"…I… I couldn't sleep, sir. The boys were… they were annoying…"

Though that was a lie. She was worried.

Quasimodo sighed, his gaze trailed down to the floor for a moment before he was to speak again.

"J-judeth… I told you I was coming. P-paris, she needed my help. I seek to see that… w-well… that you all are provided for."

"I know…" she said before she gave the trusted hunchback a hug. "I was … scared."

The grief was still fresh within him. Evrard was gone and Adalyn could not pull all this off with her own. He was all they had, really.

"I-I know…and it's…it's all right to be scared. I-it… it is and… and we're all here for you. We're here for you, dear." he softly spoke, as he kept her in his hug. "It will be all right."

He had to be strong for her. For all of them. It will be long until life was normal again. But they had to try.


End file.
